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The *Tianyuan Ji Dalun* (Great Discourse on the Great Origin of Heaven) states: Heaven possesses the Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth), which govern the five directions, thereby generating the six climatic factors: Cold (Han), Summer-heat (Shu), Dryness (Zao), Dampness (Shi), and Wind (Feng). Humans possess the Five Zang Organs (Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, Kidney), which transform into the Five Qi, thereby generating the Five Emotions: Joy (Xi), Anger (Nu), Pensiveness (Si), Worry (You), and Fear (Kong). ("Yu" means to govern or oversee. "Hua" means transformation and generation. The True Heavenly Qi is all-encompassing; although the phenomena differ, they correspond with each other.) The classic states that the Five Movements (Yun, the movement of the Five Elements) succeed one another and govern their respective seasons. At the end of a cycle, they begin again in a continuous loop. This is already understood. How does this combine with the patterns of the Three Yin and Three Yang (Shaoyin, Taiyin, Jueyin; Shaoyang, Taiyang, Yangming)? ("Lun" refers to the *Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun*. "Yun" refers to the Five Elements. Responding to Heaven's Five Movements, each completes a cycle of 365 and a quarter days as a period. Hence it is said that at the end of the period, it starts anew. Because the number six (Heavenly Stems/Earthly Branches combinations) and five do not perfectly align, the question is raised.)

The answer is: The Five Movements and Yin-Yang are the Way of Heaven and Earth, the guidelines for all things, the parents of change, the root and beginning of life and death, and the residence of spiritual illumination. How could one fail to understand them? ("Dao" refers to the way of transformation and generation. "Gangji" refers to the guidelines of growth, transformation, maturation, and storage. "Parents" refers to what precedes the formation of things. "Ben shi" refers to the origin from which life and death arise. There is nothing with form and qi that is not governed by the Five Movements and Yin-Yang. Whatever causes creation to be inexhaustible and serves as the original source of generation for all things is because they are nurtured by spiritual illumination.) Therefore, the birth of things is called "Hua" (Transformation); when things reach their extreme, it is called "Bian" (Change); the unpredictability of Yin-Yang is called "Shen" (Spirit/Mystery); and the unbounded application of Spirit is called "Sheng" (Sage). (This refers to the Dao of change and divinity. Hua is the bestowal of generation; Bian is dispersion and alteration; Shen has no fixed schedule; Sheng involves no deliberate calculation. When Qi bestows generation, it is called birth; when Qi disperses and alters, it is called the extreme; having no fixed schedule is called Shen; having no calculable limit is called Sheng. Due to Hua and Bian, all things cannot escape the scope of the Five Movements and Yin-Yang. Due to Sheng and Shen, all wonders cannot transcend the profound and mysterious principles.)

When change exerts its function, in Heaven it appears as Profound Mystery (Xuan, meaning distant; the Way of Heaven is profound and distant, with infinite changes); in Humans it appears as Dao (the Dao of subtle efficacy; without Dao, arts, governance, and education cannot be accomplished); in Earth it appears as Transformation (Hua, meaning biological generation; Earth generates all things, and through the nurturing of Earth Qi, forms and substances are established). Transformation generates the Five Flavors (Acid, Bitter, Sweet, Pungent, Salty, and Bland derived from minerals, plants, roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits, generated by transformation Qi according to the seasons). Dao generates Wisdom (Wisdom penetrates subtle efficacy, born only from Dao). Profound Mystery generates Spirit (Profound and deep, thus generating Spirit. The function of Spirit encounters the mysterious, conforms to things' transformation, and responds to everything).

Spirit in Heaven manifests as Wind (Wind is the beginning of teaching, the messenger of Heaven, the decree of Heaven); on Earth it manifests as Wood (Transformation of the East). In Heaven it manifests as Heat (Responding to the function of Fire); on Earth it manifests as Fire (Transformation of the South). In Heaven it manifests as Dampness (Responding to the function of Earth); on Earth it manifests as Earth (Transformation of the Center). In Heaven it manifests as Dryness (Responding to the function of Metal); on Earth it manifests as Metal (Transformation of the West). In Heaven it manifests as Cold (Responding to the function of Water); on Earth it manifests as Water (Transformation of the North). The function of Spirit, as seen in these five transformations: Wood is generated by Wind, Fire is ignited by Heat, Metal is stimulated by Dryness, Water is supported by Cold, and Earth is sustained by Dampness. Initially, they are established due to these causes. Although initially formed by them, they ultimately dissipate due to them. Is this unique to the Five Elements? Everything established by a cause is eventually dispersed by that same cause.

Therefore, in Heaven there is Qi (referring to Wind, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, Cold), and on Earth there is Form (referring to Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Form and Qi interact to generate all things. This is the great record of creation. Heaven and Earth are the upper and lower bounds of all things. Heaven covers and Earth carries; their interaction allows all things to be generated without omission. Thus, things grow, transform, mature, fill, empty, recover, and change by themselves. What is change? It is when the Qi of birth reaches its limit and begins transformation anew. Left and Right are the pathways of Yin and Yang. (Heaven has Six Qi governing below; Earth has Five Elements offering above. The year in charge is Upper, governing Tian (Heaven); the following year is Lower, governing Di (Earth). Years not in charge have two Qi on the right moving northward rotation, and two Qi on the left moving southward rotation. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire rotate northward to correct positions; Left becomes Right, Right becomes Left, so Left moves South and Right moves North, reversing direction.) Water and Fire are the omens/signs of Yin and Yang. (Zheng means evidence/trust; Zhao means omen/presage. Using the cold and heat of Water and Fire to reveal the prior signs of Yin and Yang.) Metal and Wood are the beginning and end of generation and completion. (Wood governs initiation corresponding to Spring, the start of generation; Metal governs harvesting corresponding to Autumn, the end of fruition. Beginning and end never cease, their transformation constantly flows, so the growth, transformation, maturation, and storage of all things have existed for a long time.)

Qi has varying degrees of abundance and scarcity; Form has phases of prosperity and decline. Upper and Lower call to each other, making gain and loss manifest. (Varying degrees of Qi refer to the three grades of Heaven's Yin and Yang, differing in quantity and order. Prosperity and decline of Form refer to the excess and deficiency of the Five Movements. Due to these differences, Heaven and Earth interact, making the gain and loss of Yin and Yang clearly evident.) The Emperor said: I wish to hear about the Five Movements governing the seasons. Gui Yuqu said: The Five Qi circulate, each completing its period of days; they do not solely govern specific seasonal periods. (One movement lasts 365 and a quarter days before changing; it does not solely rule the season. This speaks of the Five Movements governing internally, harmonizing with the Six Qi governing externally. The Five Elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. In Heaven, they are the Heavenly Stems' Five Elements (e.g., Jia/Yi belong to Wood); in Movement, they are the Qi-transforming Five Elements (e.g., Jia/Ji transform to Earth); in Central Movement, they are Tai Gong/Shao Gong (e.g., Jia/Ji); on Earth, they are the Earthly Branches' Five Elements (e.g., Zi/Chou/Yin/Mao); in Annual Qi, they are Zi/Wu belonging to Shaoyin Jun Huo. Thus, Heaven's Five Elements generate the Six Qi, and Heaven's Six Qi generate the earthly Five Elements of form. All are but the subtlety of the Five Elements. The Five Positions are East, West, South, North, and Center. Cold, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, Wind, and Fire are the Six Qi. The Five Zang Organs are Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, Kidney. The Five Qi are the Qi of the Five Zang Organs. The Five Emotions are Joy, Anger, Pensiveness, Worry, Fear. The Three Yin are Shaoyin, Taiyin, Jueyin. The Three Yang are Shaoyang, Taiyang, Yangming. At the beginning of Heaven and Earth, Heaven divided into Five Qi, Earth arranged Five Elements. Five Elements took position, distributing governance to the four directions; Five Qi flowed and branched into the Ten Heavenly Stems. At that time, Yellow Qi crossed Jia/Ji, White Qi crossed Yi/Geng, Black Qi crossed Bing/Xin, Green Qi crossed Ding/Ren, Red Qi crossed Wu/Gui. Thus, Jia/Ji correspond to Earth Movement, Yi/Geng to Metal Movement, Bing/Xin to Water Movement, Ding/Ren to Wood Movement, Wu/Gui to Fire Movement. Heaven has these Five Elements of Qi to govern the Five Positions of East, West, South, North, Center, from which Cold, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, Wind, and Fire arise, correctly called the Six Qi. In humans, there are the Five Zang Organs (Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, Kidney) transforming Five Zang Qi, from which the Five Emotions (Joy, Anger, Pensiveness, Worry, Fear) arise. The *Liu Jie Zang Xiang Lun* says: Five days constitute a Hou (term/climate). Every five days there is one Hou, e.g., on the fifth day of Lichun, the east wind thaws ice. Three Hous constitute a Qi (Solar Term). Half a month has three Hous, constituting one Qi, e.g., the first solar term of the first lunar month is one Qi. Six Qis constitute a Shi (Season). Six Qis make up three months per season, e.g., Lichun, Yushui, Jingzhe, Chunfen, Qingming, Guyu constitute Spring; Lixia, Xiaoman, Mangzhong, Xiazhi, Xiaoshu, Dashu constitute Summer. Four Seasons combine Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter into one year, each ruling during its prosperous time. Wood leads to Fire, Fire to Earth, Earth to Metal, Metal to Water, Water to Wood. The Qi of the Five Movements succeeds one another and governs. Each year ends, and it starts anew. This year's Hou is like this; next year's Hou is the same. The Emperor knows the Five Movements succeed and govern, ending their period and restarting. But the Five Movements are the Earth's Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water governing internally. The Three Yin and Three Yang are Heaven's Wind, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, Cold governing externally. So how do the succeeding Five Movements combine with the external patterns of the Three Yin and Three Yang? Gui Yuqu said: Taiji divides into Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang divide into Five Elements. Thus, Five Elements are One Yin-Yang; Yin-Yang is One Taiji. Those Five Movements are the Qi of Heaven and Earth's initial division, arranged in the Five Directions. Yin and Yang, though divided into Three Yin and Three Yang, cannot be excluded by Heaven's Qi, Movement Qi, or Earth's Qi. Heavenly Stems govern descent; Earthly Branches govern ascent; Five Movements govern both ascent and descent, moving between Heaven and Earth, called Central Movement. This is the Way of Heaven and Earth. All things take it as their guideline, change takes it as parent, life and death take it as root, and truly have Spirit as their residence. Generally, when things are born, it is called Hua; when things reach their extreme, it is called Bian. Unpredictable Yin and Yang is called Sheng (Note: Text says Sheng here, likely typo for Shen or vice versa based on context, but translating as Sage/Spirit per text flow); unbounded Spirit use is called Shen. Due to Hua and Bian, all things cannot escape Five Movements and Yin-Yang. Due to Sheng and Shen, all wonders cannot exit profound mystery. Things' birth follows Hua; things' extreme follows Bian. The clash of Hua and Bian is the cause of flourishing and decay. Also, the *Wu Chang Zheng Da Lun* says: Qi begins and transforms; Qi disperses and forms; Qi spreads and multiplies; Qi ends and images change. Their essence is one. In Heaven it is Profound Mystery; its principle is distant, and what Mystery generates is Spirit. In Humans it is Dao; its nature is complete, and what Dao generates is Wisdom. On Earth it is Transformation; nurturing all things, and what Transformation generates is the Five Flavors. Only Mystery generates Spirit, becoming Wind, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, Cold—these are the Qi of Three Yin and Three Yang. Thus, Wind's Qi becomes Wood, Heat's Qi becomes Fire, Dampness's Qi becomes Earth, Dryness's Qi becomes Metal, Cold's Qi becomes Water, forming the shapes of the Five Movements. Thus, Heaven's Qi and Earth's Form interact to generate all things. Heaven and Earth are the upper and lower of all things. The *Wu Yun Ying Da Lun* says: What is called Upper and Lower is where Yin and Yang appear in the annual Upper and Lower positions. Left and Right are the pathways of Yin and Yang. The *Wu Yun Ying Da Lun* says: Left and Right: Seeing Jueyin at the top, Left is Shaoyin, Right is Taiyang. Seeing Shaoyin at the top, Left is Taiyin, Right is Jueyin. Seeing Taiyin at the top, Left is Shaoyang, Right is Shaoyin. Seeing Shaoyang at the top, Left is Yangming, Right is Taiyin. Seeing Yangming at the top, Left is Taiyang, Right is Shaoyin. Seeing Taiyang at the top, Left is Jueyin, Right is Yangming. This is called facing North to assign positions, referring to what is seen. The Emperor asked: What is Lower? Qibo said: If Jueyin is Upper, then Shaoyang is Lower, Left is Yangming, Right is Taiyin. If Shaoyin is Upper, then Yangming is Lower, Left is Taiyang, Right is Shaoyin. If Taiyin is Upper, then Taiyang is Lower, Left is Jueyin, Right is Yangming. If Shaoyang is Upper, then Jueyin is Lower, Left is Shaoyin, Right is Taiyang. If Yangming is Upper, then Shaoyin is Lower, Left is Taiyin, Right is Jueyin. If Taiyang is Upper, then Taiyin is Lower, Left is Shaoyang, Right is Shaoyin. This is called facing South to assign positions, referring to what is seen. Wang Bing's commentary says: Facing North means speaking while facing North. Upper is South. Lower is North. Left is West. Right is East. The ruler of the year is positioned in the South, so facing North to speak of Left and Right. The Lower is positioned in the North, so facing South to speak of Left and Right. Upper is Heaven's position. Lower is Earth's position. Facing South, Left is East, Right is West. Upper and Lower differ, and Left and Right vary. This Heaven's Three Yin and Three Yang Qi rotates clockwise outside to add to Earth. Water and Fire are the signs of Yin and Yang; Metal and Wood are the beginning and end of generation. These Earth's Five Movements of Form rotate counter-clockwise inside to approach Heaven. Heaven's Qi has abundance and scarcity; Earth's Form has prosperity and decline. Thus, Heaven's abundant/scare Qi and Earth's prosperous/declining Form call to each other, making gain and loss manifest, causing the change of extremes. Abundant Qi calling with Prosperous Form results in excessive gain leading to vigorous change. Scarce Qi calling with Declining Form results in excessive loss leading to deficient change. The transformation of birth is Heaven and Earth's constant state; Qi in Five Movements is called Ping (Balanced); Qi in Six Qi is called Chang Hua (Normal Transformation). The change of extremes is Heaven and Earth's variation; Qi in Five Movements is called Tai Guo/Bu Ji (Excess/Deficiency); Qi in Six Qi is called Yin Sheng/Fan Sheng/Xiang Sheng (Overacting/Counter-acting/Mutual Overcoming). The vigorous change is Five Movements' Excess and Six Qi's Overacting. The deficient change is Five Movements' Deficiency and Six Qi's Counter-acting/Mutual Overcoming. All these Five Movements and Six Qi, regarding vigorous/deficient change, the subsequent chapters of this classic discuss extensively to elucidate these four aspects. Students should clear their minds to investigate them. The Five Movements' Qi runs each completing its period, not solely governing seasons, means Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water govern, each completing a year's period, not just governing the six steps within the year.)

The Emperor asked: What is meant by Qi having abundance/scarcity and Form having prosperity/decline? Gui Yuqu said: Yin and Yang Qi each have varying amounts, hence called Three Yin and Three Yang. (Due to varying amounts of Qi, they divide into two categories according to their ascent and descent. What are the Three Yin and Yang? Taiyin is Correct Yin; Taiyang is Correct Yang; the next lesser is Shaoyin; the next lesser is Shaoyang; next is Yangming; next is Jueyin.) Form having prosperity and decline refers to the governance of the Five Elements, each having excess and deficiency. (When Qi arrives insufficient, Excess meets it; when Qi arrives excessive, Deficiency follows it. Heaven and Earth's Qi fill and empty thus, hence saying Form has prosperity and decline.) Therefore, at the beginning, if there is surplus going forward, deficiency follows; if there is deficiency going forward, surplus follows. Knowing to meet and knowing to follow, Qi can be predicted. (Meaning filling and emptying are not constant; victory and defeat alternate.) Responding to Heaven makes it Tian Fu (Heavenly符/Token);承岁 (Inheriting the Year) makes it Sui Zhi (Year Direct); Three Combinations make it Zhi (Governance). (Responding to Heaven: In years of Wood Movement, Jueyin is seen Above; in Fire Movement years, Shaoyang/Shaoyin are seen Above; in Earth Movement years, Taiyin is seen Above; in Metal Movement years, Yangming is seen Above; in Water Movement years, Taiyang is seen Above. In these five cases, Heaven's Qi descends, matching the Movement like a token, hence called Responding to Heaven makes Tian Fu. Inheriting the Year: In Wood Movement years, the year corresponds to Hai/Mao; in Fire Movement years, Yin/Wu; in Earth Movement years, Chen/Xu/Chou/Wei; in Metal Movement years, Si/You; in Water Movement years, Shen/Zi. In these five cases, the Year's direct position, hence called Inheriting the Year makes Sui Zhi. Three Combinations: In Water Movement years, Shaoyin is seen Above, Year Branch is Wu; in Earth Movement years, Taiyin is seen Above, Year Branch is Chou/Wei; in Metal Movement years, Yangming is seen Above, Year Branch is You. In these three cases, Heaven's Qi, Movement Qi, and Year Branch converge, hence called Three Combinations make Governance. Sui Zhi is also called Sui Wei; Three Combinations is also called Tian Fu. The *Liu Wei Zhi Da Lun* says: Tian Fu and Sui Hui are called Tai Yi Tian Fu. Meaning Heaven, Movement, and Year converge. This continues the previous text to explain Qi having abundance/scarcity and Form having prosperity/decline, nothing outside Heaven's Qi, Earth's Qi, and Movement Qi. Yin and Yang Qi combining abundance/scarcity means Three Yin and Three Yang Qi each divide into amounts. More Yin is Taiyin Correct Yin; less is Shaoyin; even less is Jueyin. More Yang is Taiyang Correct Yang; less is Shaoyang; even less is Yangming. Form having prosperity/decline means Five Elements' governance each has excess/deficiency. Five Movements' Forms each have prosperity/decline. Earth has Tai/Shao Gong; Metal has Tai/Shao Shang; Water has Tai/Shao Yu; Wood has Tai/Shao Jue; Fire has Tai/Shao Zhi. Tai means Excess; Shao means Deficiency. Shi refers to the Jia Zi year. The *Liu Wei Zhi Da Lun* says: Heaven's Qi starts with Jia; Earth's Qi starts with Zi. Zi and Jia combine, named Sui Li (Establishment of Year). The *Yun Qi Quan Shu* says: Movements have prosperity/decline; Qi has emptiness/fullness, mutually meeting and following to govern the year. Yang Prosperous Yin Decline, like Earth Movement Jia (Yang) and Ji (Yin); Yin Empty Yang Full, like Six Qi Zi (Full) and Chou (Empty). Meeting and following like the sixty Jia Zi cycles, one Yang one Yin, prosperity/decline, emptiness/fullness, successively receiving and sending to govern year sequences and deduce to the end. Six Jia therefore have surplus; Ji then has deficiency. Following deficiency, Ji then has surplus. From this, there are also Year Movements neither surplus nor deficiency, essentially conforming to Heaven and Earth's transformation. If surplus repeats surplus, and little repeats little, then Heaven and Earth's Way changes from normal, and disasters/severe diseases arrive. Knowing their coming and meeting them, knowing their going and following them, then Year Qi can naturally be predicted.)

Cold, Summer-heat, Dryness, Dampness, Wind, Fire are Heaven's Yin and Yang, served by Three Yin and Three Yang Above. (Taiyang is Cold; Shaoyang is Summer-heat; Yangming is Dryness; Taiyin is Dampness; Jueyin is Wind; Shaoyin is Fire. All originate in Heaven, hence called Heaven's Yin and Yang.) Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Fire are Earth's Yin and Yang, responded to by Growth, Transformation, Maturation, Harvest, Storage Below. (Wood is First Qi; Fire is Second Qi; Minister Fire is Third Qi; Earth is Fourth Qi; Metal is Fifth Qi; Water is Final Qi. Because it is on Earth responding to Heaven, it is said to respond Below. Qi is on Earth, hence called Earth's Yin and Yang.) Heaven uses Yang to generate and Yin to grow; Earth uses Yang to kill and Yin to store. (Growth and expansion is Heaven's Way; Storage and killing is Earth's Way. Heaven's Yang governs generation, hence using Yang to generate and Yin to grow. Earth's Yin governs killing, hence using Yang to kill and Yin to store. Though Heaven and Earth differ in height, each has its own operation of Yin and Yang.) Heaven has Yin and Yang; Earth also has Yin and Yang. (Heaven has Yin so it can descend; Earth has Yang so it can ascend, thus each has Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang intersect and harmonize, so transformation is achieved.) Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Fire are Earth's Yin and Yang, Growth, Transformation, Maturation, Harvest, Storage. Thus, Yang contains Yin, and Yin contains Yang. (Yin and Yang Qi, when extreme, become hyperactive, thus each includes the other. Yang includes Yin; Yin includes Yang. In the I Ching hexagrams, Li (Fire) is hollow in the middle; Kan (Water) is full in the middle; this illustrates the meaning.)

Therefore, to know Heaven and Earth's Yin and Yang: Qi responding to Heaven moves and does not rest, hence it shifts right every five years. Qi responding to Earth is still and holds its position, hence it circles back every six years. (Heaven has Six Qi; Earth has Five Positions. Heaven's Six Qi descend upon Earth; Earth's Five Positions receive Heaven. This is because Heaven's Qi does not directly apply to Jun Huo (Ruler Fire). Adding six to five leaves a remainder of one Qi after five years, hence shifting one position. If five receives six, it takes six years to fully exhaust Heaven's Yuan Qi, hence circling back in six years, called starting anew. Earth's Qi moves left, going and not returning; Heaven's Qi turns east. Counting from Fire Movement, after five years, the next Qi is exactly above Jun Huo. By law, it does not directly apply, so it shifts right above Jun Huo to apply above Minister Fire, hence called shifting right every five years. Through this movement and stillness, Upper and Lower approach each other, and the condition of Heaven, Earth, and all things, and the mechanism of change, can be seen.) Movement and Stillness call to each other; Upper and Lower approach each other; Yin and Yang interlace; and change arises from this. (The Way of Heaven and Earth, the subtlety of change, comes from this. Confucius said: Heaven and Earth set their positions, and Yi operates within them. This is what is meant. Upper and Lower meet, Cold and Summer-heat approach; if Qi matches, there is harmony; if not, there is disease. Also said: Upper moves right; Lower moves left; Left and Right circle the heavens...)